Adjustable seat



Feb.. 6, 21923.

J. S, BURDICK.

ADJUSTABLE SEAT. FILED AUG. 31. 1920. 3 SHEETS-SHEET l .1' a. a. ff' ff! f" j i' f i if f; k

J- S. BURDICK1 ADJUSTABLE SEAT. Fl LED AUGl 3l I 3 SHEETS.SHEET 2 f 1. n Fem *op T1923. 11,444,024:-

J. S. BURDICK'. ADJUSTABLE SEAT, FILED AUG. 31. 1920. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 Patented lFclo. 6, 1923.

miami.

JOHN S. BUB/DICK, 0F STTFRD, CONNECTICUT.

ADJUSTABLE SEAT.

Application filed August 31, 1920. Serial-No. 407,157.

To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. BURDICK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident yof Stratford, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement inv Adjustable, Seats, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to seats and the purpose thereof is to provide a seat with arms or side pieces wherein these arms can be laterally adjusted to alter the effective Width of the seat.v My invention is particularly, though not exclusively adapted for use with the folding seats which are used in automobiles, andl by way of a specific example for purposes of illustration, I have herein illustrated such a seat, and for clearness will confine the following description to the form illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is aside elevation of the seat un- I folded;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation thereof; and Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the adjusting mechanism.

It is common in the larger type of automobiles to provide folding chairs for additional seating capacity. These chairs have not been entirely satisfactory from the point of View of the occupants particularly because of the fact that they did lnot'provide a secure seat when the car changed its direction of movement. In accordance with the form of the invention herein illustrated, a seat adapted for use in an automobile is provided with arms and these arms are adjustable to suit the individual user so as to provide a secure support against any l(sidewise lurching olf the seat. On one l1 nd a large person is not unduly crowded by too narrow a seat and on the other hand a small person Awill not be thrown about yon the seat by the lurching of the car but will at all times find support from the arms.

Referring' to the drawings, particularly to Fig. 1, the chair shown embodies a seat proper 7 and a back 9 which parts are relativel foldable along the pivot joints 11 whic may be provided with stop surfaces 13 (see Fig. 1), forming what is commonly known as a rule joint which prevents the seat from folding over in a clockwise direction, viewin Fig. 1, beyondv the upright position indicated. yPivoted to back and seat to fold therewith is a jointed arm comprising herein the substantially horizontal portion l5 which may carry the upholstered pads 17 and the upright 19, the parts 15 and 19 being connected by the joint 21 provided with the stop surfaces 23 preventing the arm from breaking inwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 but permitting it to move to the folded position of Fig. 3.

Herein an arm is provided on each side of the chair and each is made individually adjustable, but since the mechanism is the same in each instance' a description of a single arm will suffice.

As has already been indicated, provision is made/for adjusting the arm laterally of the seat, for example, from the full line position of Fig. 2 to the dotted line position and for holding itwhen positioned and for this purpose the arm may be mounted to slide transversely of the seat, suitable means being provided for clamping it against movement when desired. Referring now to Fig. 5, the end of each element of the jointed arm, for example element 15, is formed as a hub 25, from which may project Alaterally of' the arm an element 27 adapted to be slidably received in a suitable socket in the chair body. Herein this socket is formed by a tube 29 which as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 may extend entirely across the chair body and receive at opposite ends the projecting elements 27 of both arms.

In the present embodiment of the invention the projecting element 27 servesvv as a journal on which the arms turn in their fold ing movement and is secured to the hub 25, for example by the pin 31 (Fig. 5). This journal 27 may be slid in and out in the tube 29, viewing Fig. 5, to adjust thearm, for example from the full line position in Fig. 2 to the dotted line position and suitable means are provided for clamping it in adjusted position. Herein I have shown the journal 27 as in the form of a tube split axially at its inner end by slots 33 to provide an expansible end portion which may be expanded to clamp the tube within the outer tube or socket 29. For the purpose of expanding this split end may be provided the conical Wedge 35 received in the end and. having projecting pins 37 guided in the slots 33. Threaded in to the wedge is the threaded rod 39 housed `in the journal tube v27 and held against longitudinal movement that on rotation of the handle 45 the wedge nut 35 will be moved on the threaded rod 39 and if moved to the right will release the pressure of the split end of the journal tube 27 on the socket tube 29 and permit this journal and the link 15 attached thereto by the hub 25 to be slid outwardly to the left, this corresponding to a movement of the arm from the full line position of Fig. 2 to the dotted'line position. After the arm has been thu's adjusted a reverse rotation of the vhandle 45 will draw the wedge nut 35 to the left, viewing Fig. 5, expanding the end of the tube and clamping the parts in their adjusted position. s

The form of the invention herein illustrated has to do with a folding chair. In the particular embodiment here shown the meanswhich positions the adjustable arm also provides for holding the chair in its unfolded position, irmly bracing it against any accidental movement or tendency to fold up.A Thus the tube 27 is the journal and when the link 15 turns from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 3, this. journal must turn in the bearing provided by the socket tube 29. If, however, the handle 45` is turned to expand the split end of the journalltube 27 within the socket, not only is the arm securely held in its adjusted position laterally of the seat but the journal is held against turning movement and the chair is rigidly locked in its unfolded position.

Having thus described in detail the particular embodiment of my invention shown for purposes of illustration wherein it is ap- LA chair having a. relatively oldable back and seat, a jointed arm pivoted to back and seat to fold therewith and having laterally projecting elements having hollow ends, sockets -in back and seat telescopically panding the hollow ends in the sockets.

2. A chair having an arm, expansible tubes projecting laterally from the arm, sockets in the chair body slidably receiving the tubes and means for expanding the tubes to position them in the socket.

' 3. A seat having a body provided with transverse sockets, an arm having laterally extending tubes telescopically received by said sockets and terminably split, wedges cooperating with said split ends, rods housed in the tubes for moving said wedges and operating handles for the rods at the outer side of the arm. v.

4. A seat having a. relatively foldable back and seat provided with transverse sockets, a jointed arm,.laterally projecting tubes providing journals for the arm, which tubes are telescopically received by said .sockets and terminably split, wedges cooperating with said split ends, rods housed in the tubes for moving said wedges and operating handles for the rods at the outer side of the arm.

5. A chair having relatively foldable back and seat and having a jointed arm pivoted toback and seat and laterally adjustable relative thereto and means to hold the armv in adjusted position serving also to prevent L`receiving said journals and means for exmovement of said arm on its pivots whereby the arm will serve relatively to position back and seat.

6. A chair having relatively oldable back and seat and having a jointed arm provided with journals slidably received in back and seat and means for locking the journals against lengthwise and rotative movement. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

. JOHN S. BURDICK. 

